Private member clubs, including the 2014 Junior Ryder Cup venue, have been waiting for HMRC rebate cheques since the tax authorities lost a court test case over historic VAT charged on visitor fees dating back to the mid-nineties.
However, while welcoming the six-figure boost to the Perthshire club’s coffers in advance of their December AGM, Blairgowrie’s managing secretary Douglas Cleeton has warned rebates can’t be allowed to solve the problems a club may be having.
“It’s a wonderful and significant windfall for us and we will be considering carefully how it will be invested,” he said. “We won’t be the biggest beneficiaries in Scotland, not by a long way. At the top end of the market, there are clubs with exceptionally big visitor numbers. The vast majority, of course, will be getting a windfall which is much more modest.
“For many clubs, it may take the immediate pressure off and dig some clubs out of a hole for a year or two. But no one can afford to think a rebate will be a quick fix solution to problems.”
Kevin Fish, Club Services Manager for Scottish Golf, said: “The long-awaited conclusion of these various VAT legal challenges is a most welcome boost for many Scottish clubs who have been temporarily out of pocket.
“But such a windfall should not distract club committees from the responsibility they have to ensure that they continue to offer a product, a service and an experience that appeals to the modern golfer.
“We would point out, however, that you don’t have to have received a large windfall to make significant improvements in the experience you provide golfers. Scottish Golf continues to provide education and face-to-face support to hundreds of club managers to help their golf clubs to thrive in these challenging economic times.”
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